Average Street Decibel, Is It Safe to Walk for a Long Time?

[Keiv]

Hi how long can we walk in your average street 75-80ish db? and be safe?

 

[erik]

http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/decibel-exposure-time-guidelines/

 

[Jamie]

If I walk down a busy street for longer than a couple of minutes I pay the price of a T spike for the next couple of days.

 

[Mark Beehre]

I used ear plugs for awhile when walking, driving or going into shops, but it only served to make my ears more sensitive and my tinnitus more reactive. I made changes to my life where I wasn't going to be exposed to environment that would be uncomfortable to my ears. Over time I have put myself out more and more and can now tolerate environments where previously I couldn't. It's been 3-4 months since I changed my environment and touch wood I am starting to find my tolerance is getting better.

 

[Mad maggot]

Walking outdoors anywhere is the only thing that reduces or even stops my symptoms - busy street or quiet beach. I'm very sorry for those who find street noise spikes their T.
What makes mine worse - fleurescent lights! Bizarre. But my T is never without the accompanying oscillopsia so somehow the eyes are involved.

 

[Jamie]

I used ear plugs for awhile when walking, driving or going into shops, but it only served to make my ears more sensitive and my tinnitus more reactive. I made changes to my life where I wasn't going to be exposed to environment that would be uncomfortable to my ears. Over time I have put myself out more and more and can now tolerate environments where previously I couldn't. It's been 3-4 months since I changed my environment and touch wood I am starting to find my tolerance is getting better.

I have done the same, I was in a noisy job so wore earmuffs most of the day, I think this has made my T more reactive over the years, driving on the open road is a similar problem as in old NZ with our cheap rough chip roads, I've taken out countless vehicles and the quietest are late model 4x4 utes (Ford and VW) but still around 70db. I wear noise cancelling headphones when I drive on the open road, these are great for taking out the road roar but you can still have a converstaion, $500 though.

 

[Mark Beehre]

I have done the same, I was in a noisy job so wore earmuffs most of the day, I think this has made my T more reactive over the years, driving on the open road is a similar problem as in old NZ with our cheap rough chip roads, I've taken out countless vehicles and the quietest are late model 4x4 utes (Ford and VW) but still around 70db. I wear noise cancelling headphones when I drive on the open road, these are great for taking out the road roar but you can still have a converstaion, $500 though.

You are right about the roads man.

I brought some of those $500 NC headphones...Bose Quitecomfort....they are nice.....but they made my ears more sensitive. I have been able to drive more often without incident since taking them off.

 

[The_T]

Hard to say, but most average cities and smaller to medium sized roads have never been a problem for me to be around for as long as I need. But in some cities that I have visited I have been using ear plugs due to loud trams, trains, and such going straight through town.

Sometimes I use ear plugs while driving, but I have not noticed any worsening of my T when I have been driving without. But it calms my nerves a little.

 

[The_T]

I used ear plugs for awhile when walking, driving or going into shops, but it only served to make my ears more sensitive and my tinnitus more reactive. I made changes to my life where I wasn't going to be exposed to environment that would be uncomfortable to my ears. Over time I have put myself out more and more and can now tolerate environments where previously I couldn't. It's been 3-4 months since I changed my environment and touch wood I am starting to find my tolerance is getting better.

This is exactly how it works, and the first step may be hard to take, but it is sometimes necessary and almost always for the best. Just remember that you have tinnitus even though it is not as much as a problem anymore, so you don't go out partying, or whatever loud activities are out there nowadays, with your friends without using ear plugs.

 

[Mark Beehre]

This is exactly how it works, and the first step may be hard to take, but it is sometimes necessary and almost always for the best. Just remember that you have tinnitus even though it is not as much as a problem anymore, so you don't go out partying, or whatever loud activities are out there nowadays, with your friends without using ear plugs.

Today I drove into town, walked along the harbour, through busy traffic, went to my fiancees place and watched some TV, then to a noisy cafe, then to a BBQ before driving home. I am now at home and my ears are hissing, but no more than usual. The normal loud escalation that I got that completely ruined me has not happened in 55 days. I was able to have a noisy weekend both previous two weekends as well. I am not completely out of the woods and I am still being careful. That been said I took the earplugs out three weeks ago and haven't looked back!

I think ear plugs have there place. I think in the initial stages of trauma you need them. I once read that a damaged ear is like a sprain. Each time you re-injure it you increase the length of time it takes to heal, unless you over do it and completely stuff it. That's why it's important you protect your hearing in the early stages of trauma and rest them as much as possible. This could take months, it took me 8 to get where I am now. But ear plugs had there place. Gradually I started taking them out and exposing myself to louder environments. Initially there were some set backs, I took things too quickly and faced the consequence. The point is time!

I am going to keep to my quiet routine until December all things going well but stretch myself more and more each week. Eventually I hope to be able to move out of the flat I stay in and go back to my house which is 30 minutes drive away and do the daily commute to work. Something that I had to stop because I kept upsetting my ears with the journey.

 

[PaulBe]

You are right about the roads man.

Yeah. I've done pretty much what you've done Mark, what with new environment and all that (Atherton Tablelands in Queensland), and life is better than it was in Cairns, but the local roads used a lot of volcanic rock and in some places, on some days, the noise is extraordinary. I have an Imprezza, and I don't think sound deadening was a priority.